This invention relates generally to electric sound amplifier for boosting sound from electric musical instruments and, more particularly, to an electric sound amplifier and speaker apparatus configured for direct connection to an electric guitar of a type having an amplifier or speaker jack.
Traditionally, electric guitars are plugged into large and heavy speaker-amplifier combinations (such as in a home, school, or studio environment) or into an amplifier electrically connected to a network of speakers (such as at a concert). The guitar includes a plug and the amplifier includes a socket and the two are electrically connected with a long cord or, more recently, wirelessly.
It is well known that amplifiers and speakers are very bulky, heavy, and awkward to move around without the effort of two or more people and, sometimes, assistive equipment. Various devices have been proposed and used in the art for moving heavy and awkward amplifier and speakers so that the guitarist has a degree of mobility to be able to play the guitar at locations remote from the home or studio. For instance, heavy amplifiers may be moved by the efforts of two or more people, with a dolly or hand truck, or by hauling it in the back of a pickup truck. In the end, lengthy extension cords may be needed and some desired locations to play the guitar may simply become inaccessible altogether. Alternatively, guitars with a built-in amplifier and speaker requires a user to potentially buy a guitar he does not really want (this recognizes that guitarist are often very particular to a brand or style of guitar). Although presumably effective for their intended purposes, the traditional means for moving heavy amplifier-speaker combinations requires an undesirable amount of time, advance planning, and personnel.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a portable and miniature amplifier speaker system that is configured to be plugged into and attached directly to an electric guitar and, as a result, is ready to amplify and emit sound anywhere the guitar is played. Further, it would be desirable to have a portable and miniature amplifier speaker system having a speaker member that may be articulated to emit sound in a desired direction relative to the guitar, such as in the direction of an audience. In addition, it would be desirable to have a portable and miniature amplifier speaker system having structures that protect the guitar itself against damage from the directly connected amplifier-speaker.